Today, I’m going in-depth into why I started an Instagram account, @librarianforlifestyle, and highlighting 10 Instagrammers I love.

Why I started Instagramming

It took me a long time to get into Instagram — or even to understand the appeal. I’m not a person who jumps into trying out trends or new technologies; instead, I have to think my way through things and see if something is right for me. So I’ve been thinking about Instagram for awhile, but I wanted to make sure that if I committed to Instagram, then I was doing it for reasons that made sense to me, and not just doing it because I was “supposed to” as a style blogger. So I did my research (of course!), reading over posts by bloggers I read and trust, like Franish’s very informative post and tips about Instagram. Her tip to “think about if it’s instagram or a blog post” stuck with me, about making your Instagram be its own thing and not just be a rehash of your style blog. I am a purpose-driven woman, so that made sense to me, to have a clear purpose for each kind of social outlet for my blog. Here’s what I came up with:

Purpose of style blog: Highlight my style journey and perspective with the opportunity to reflect and write in-depth about how and why I put outfits together

Purpose of Instagram feed: Provide a more personalized peek at my daily life and style, including random photos I like to take and the books I like to read

You can enjoy my Instagram feed even if you’re not on Instagram. I’ve also got the latest pics from my Instagram on my blog’s sidebar.

And I have really been enjoying my foray into Instagram! I now have an outlet for all those random and spontaneous photos I take going about my daily life, like this sartorial still life, plus it’s a way to post about things that I don’t want to write in-depth about. And it’s opened me up to a whole new world of bloggers!

10 Instagram bloggers I love

Three years ago at the end of March, which is Women’s History Month, I started highlighting bloggers I love in an annual series I called “Spreading the blog love.” I highlighted 9 style bloggers I love in 2015 and 5 more bloggers I love in 2016. This time around, I thought it appropriate to highlight a few Instagram bloggers I love and why I love them!

Hello Katie Girl

I love Katie’s Instagram feed for its bright, cheerful photos and outfits. She also loves a brightly colored wall! I always smile when I see her Instagram photos and colorful, feminine style. A total pick-me-up!

Daenel

You’ve seen Daenel on my blog before, in a “Librarian Style Profile” last year. She is a fellow librarian, and she has a totally cool, down-to-earth style all her own. So I’ve been a fan of hers for a long time, but then I also fell in love with her Instagram feed, which is full of gorgeous photography and coffee pics. Her view of the world through her camera lens is always interesting and often introspective.

Ardently Admire

A self-professed “book smart city girl who’s living life like a modern Jane Austen”? Right up my alley! Colorful, cheerful, sassy, with tons of shoe and book close-ups. LOVE.

Her blog and Instagram title? Comes from a scene in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, from Mr. Darcy’s (first) proposal to Lizzy: “In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.” Like I said, LOVE.

This Is Jules

I follow a lot of travel-themed accounts on Instagram, as well as those who highlight the city they live in. This Is Jules focuses on England (Yorkshire, to be specific), and I love the more muted, softer tones and mood of the photos she takes. It’s somehow nostalgic and wistful and soothing all at the same time.

Bookish Press

Here’s the description in the Bookish Press Instagram profile: “Mostly books but occasionally other glittery things that take my fancy.” They take my fancy, too! Lovely and creative photos of books and other “glittery things.” Happy sigh.

Economy of Style

Psyche from Economy of Style has the most gorgeous smile and the most fearless style! I always feel happier and inspired after browsing her Instagram feed, which is full of pattern-mixing and bright lipstick and interesting shoes. Plus, she focuses on budget-friendly style, and she’s in academia, too. She inspired me to wear my wrap dress in a totally different way!

When I decided to start my Instagram account, I had to think long and hard about what I wanted to do with the account. I already blog, so I knew I wasn’t interested in creating anything that required a lot of work or reading. I wanted something that people could look at and get the story without always having to read the post. I’m hoping that’s what I’ve achieved – visual stories with random thoughts.

What fun accounts! I’ve added some new ones to my follow list. Thank you for sharing.

I started my IG account with my blog because I thought I needed to. It’s been a love/hate relationship because I didn’t know enough about it at the time. So many fun accounts – I have some new ones to check out!

I truly enjoyed reading this post, Jen. It’s making me consider changing up what I post on my IG account a bit more. Katie and Daenel are two of my favorite IG posters, too. I added a few more from your list to follow along, as well.

Thanks, Jennie. I’m also trying out different things on my FB account, to share more posts or articles I come across about diversity in beauty and style. It’s work to try and make each social media account a bit different and distinct, but it feels a bit more authentic to me that way. 🙂

OMG..how adorable are BonPon511..thank you for sharing your favorites! I like some instagrammers but for some reason the highly stylized instagram feeds where you can tell people are spending hours creating that perfect picture bother me.

Thanks, Valerie! I had been contemplating writing a post about why I started Instagramming when I had resisted for sooooooo long, but I kept putting it off. Then I realized it was time again to do my “spreading the blog love” post and thought, hey I can combine the two! 😀

Browse by Color / Pattern / Texture

Style Archives

Stores I Regularly Shop [Affiliate Links]

Disclosure about Affiliate Links

Please note that posts may contain affiliate links, which means that I may earn a few cents for every click you make on an item link. Any money earned via affiliate links goes toward covering my website and file storage fees, so thank you for helping support this blog! All posts, including any reviews or sponsored posts, are written or edited by me, and reflect my own personal opinions and experiences.

Disclaimer

This site contains my personal thoughts and opinions, which do not necessarily reflect the views of any past, current, or future employer.